This invention relates generally to containers for fluids having a one way valve, and more specifically relates to a disposable fluid container having a one way valve and suitable for use as an enema and douche bag and the like.
The disposable fluid containers for use, for example, as enema or douche bags or otherwise are commonly found in hospitals, nursing homes and other health care facilities. Generally, these type bags comprise a pair of confronting sheets of flexible plastic material, such as polyvinyl chloride, heat sealed together along marginal areas thereof except at locations to provide a fluid supply opening and an outlet opening.
My U.S. Pat. No. 3,473,532, granted Oct. 21, 1969, and entitled "FLUID CONTAINER BAG WITH SELF CLOSING ONE-WAY VALVE," discloses a prior used disposable container formed from a pair of confronting flexible walls secured together along marginal portions and unsecured along other portions thereof to form a fluid supply opening. A one-way valve is mounted in the supply opening and comprises a pair of flat, flexible confronting valve walls connected together along side margins and unconnected at the upper and lower ends. A sheet of resilient material permanently arched, pulls the valve walls over its convex side for closing the valve. The application of a squeezing force straightens the resilient sheet to open the valve for flowing fluid between the valve walls.
Another disposable container previously used is disclosed in my U.S. Pat. No. 3,724,461, granted Apr. 3, 1973, and entitled "CONTAINER WITH SELF-CLOSING ONE-WAY VALVE." The container described therein includes a pair of confronting walls unsecured along a portion thereof to form a supply opening. A one-way valve is mounted in the supply opening and comprises a pair of confronting flat walls of flexible material, secured together along side margins thereof to form a sleeve like structure open at the opposite ends thereof, and further secured to the container walls. An arcuate spring member is secured to and extends across the outside of one of the valve walls and the convex side of the spring member forces the valve walls together. Spaced above the arcuate spring member and located between the valve walls are two curving spring members having concave faces confronting each other. The squeezing of the confronting spring members expands the same further outward from each other, and the valve walls in response are caused to balloon outwardly, forming a large fluid inlet passageway between the confronting spring members and between the valve walls.
The aforedescribed disposable containers having one way valves afforded a tight and secure seal against any fluid leakage, and are specifically suitable in those instances where the fluid containers are subject to extremely rough handling. However, such tight sealed disposable containers are not necessary or needed for every health care application requiring a one way fluid container.
Due to the wide and extensive use of the disposable container, and the continued upward spiraling of medical costs, there is an urgent need in the market place for a lower cost disposable container having a one way valve but still providing the desired function. The subject invention by simplifying the valve structure, has provided a low cost and functional disposable fluid container with a one way valve.